Kotlar Walks-off Softball to Complete Sunday's Sweep
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team picked up a sweep in Sunday's non-conference doubleheader with Southwestern Assemblies of God University. After the Lady Crusaders' shut out their opponent the first time on the campaign, the home team rallied back down three at one juncture in the nightcap to walk-off for the second week in a row.
It was the first time Dallas produced a game-winner at Crusaders Field since a 3-2 final versus Austin College on April 1, 2012. The earlier walk-off was on a neutral site with UD serving as the home team and able to have the last at-bat.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Teams: Southwestern Assemblies of God University (0), University of Dallas (10) (F, 6 Innings)
Records: Southwestern Assemblies of God (2-15), Dallas (3-4)
Pitching decisions: W) Lee (2-2), L) Ashley Abair (0-0)
Dallas compiled a season-high 14 hits and matched a season-high 10 runs in a shutout by the largest margin of the campaign versus the Lions in the first contest of the evening.
The first two innings were scoreless, but the home team finally broke the tie with three runs in the third. Freshman Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas) extended her hitting streak to six with a bases loaded, RBI single through the right side of the infield. Junior Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) would cross the plate for the first run. The next two hitters in Navy and White would produce runs-batted-in with classmate Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fl.) and senior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) getting the stat credited to them.
In the fourth, the Lady Crusaders pushed the lead to five with a two-spot in their half of the inning. Kotlar did the damage with her first home run of the season to left field. Her third career homer brought in freshman Tera Espinosa (Caldwell, Texas).
Five runs in the sixth would seal the first run-rule for UD in the young season.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Savala and Tesauro each presented 3-for-4 days at the plate. Savala and Kotlar scored two runs apiece.
- Begle and Kotlar both tallied a pair of ribbies, with Tesauro and Kotlar tallying the extra base knocks with a double and homer, respectively.
- Freshmen Krystina Traylor (Angleton, Texas) and Sukie Turner (Valley Center, Calif.) each debuted with pinch hits in the game. Turner provided the final at bat with a bases-clearing hit that concluded the big frame. She delivered a game-high three RBI.
- Dallas swiped five steals with Savala pulling two. Tesauro, Kotlar, and freshman Samanatha Bratsch (The Woodlands, Texas) also recorded a stolen base apiece.
- Junior Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) went six innings and scattered four hits in her first shutout of the year. She logged four strikeouts. It was her 10th shutout of her career and adds to her record-holding spot in the program by two.
- Amber Gignac led the Lions at the plate, going 2-for-3. Bailey Balloun and Ashley Abair also added hits. Abair's knock counted for a double.
- Abair allowed eight runs (7 earned) on 14 hits, a walk, and struck out four. She pitched all 5.2 innings, while Kaitlyn Canales subbed in for two batters in the sixth.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Teams: Southwestern Assemblies of God University (6), University of Dallas (7)
Records: Southwestern Assemblies of God (2-16), Dallas (4-4)
Pitching decisions: W) K. Lee (3-2), L) H. Lee (0-0)
The Lady Crusaders were down early in the second contest, allowing SAGU to take a 2-0 edge in the first. Dallas broke into the run column in the bottom half of the second, as junior Alexandria Compte (Houston, Texas) pounded a double to right center for an RBI. Freshman Stephanie Cervantes (Temecula, Calif.), who led off the frame with a single to center, would cross the dish on Compte's first knock of the season.
The third baseman would ignite a comeback in the bottom of the sixth, as she launched her seventh career dinger over the left center wall. That moved the score to a 6-4 deficit for Dallas. It was Compte's third career homer in the head-to-head meetings.
Southwestern Assemblies of God had scored four of the past five runs prior to that long ball. The Navy and White would knot the game 2-all in the third inning, with the help of a defensive miscue by the Lions.
The visitors would regain the lead for the second time with an early run in the fourth that occurred due to a UD error. Kelsey Coburn smacked the first home run of the game in the next inning for the Lions, as that round-tripper doubled SAGU's edge to 4-2. A run was countered by the Lady Crusaders in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one-run difference.
In the same inning as the Compte homer, Kotlar would double to left and drive in freshman Samantha Laberge (Round Rock, Texas), who had just singled in her first at bat off the bench in the contest. The left fielder would be the hero in the next inning, as she placed a hard hit into center field that would break a 6-6 ballgame and score Cervantes on the game-winner. Laberge had singled in the previous at bat with one out and tied things on an RBI-single to right center.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Dallas broke double figures in the hit column for the second game in a row with 12. Five players had multiple hits including: junior Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.), freshman Katie Antigua (Elk Grove, Calif.), Compte, Laberge, and Kotlar.
- The tandem of Compte and Kotlar each dialed in two RBI and punched all the extra hits.
- Finch, Tesauro, Bratsch, and Laberge swiped steals to give UD four overall.
- Freshman Paige Parks (Cedar Parks, Texas) received the no decision. She tossed six innings in her start and allowed six runs (5 earned) on eight hits. She walked three and fanned four. Lee got the win credit, after tossing the second perfect inning of the game for UD.
- Coburn led the SAGU offense with a 3-for-3 game and a walk to go perfect at the plate. She scored twice and added two ribbies to match Kristin Stringer with a team-high. Ashlyn Stanfill went 2-for-4 and totaled a pair of runs scored with Gignac to complete the team's six.
- Hannah Lee was saddled in the setback with 6.1 innings thrown. She allowed seven runs (6 earned) on 12 hits, four walks, and did strikeout five.
UP NEXT
Dallas is on the road for the next eight games. Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action starts at Centenary College on March 5-6.